How Do You Spell RETROACTIVE?

1. Retroactive is an adjective that describes an action, decision, or law that has an effect on events that occurred in the past. It refers to something that is applied or enforced retrospectively, reaching back or having an impact on past occurrences, even if it was not originally intended or explicitly stated. The term originates from the Latin word "retroagere," which means "to move backward."

   When a law or regulation is retroactive, it means that it can be applied to events or actions that happened before its enactment. For example, if a government passes a tax law with retroactive effect, it can require taxpayers to pay taxes on income they earned prior to the law's implementation. Similarly, if a court decision is retroactive, it can be used to review and revise previous cases that have similarities or are affected by the new decision.

   Retroactive actions can have both positive and negative consequences, depending on the context. They can be used to correct injustices, rectify errors, or provide relief to individuals who were disadvantaged by previous rules or procedures. However, retroactive laws or decisions can also create uncertainty, as they can overturn settled expectations and disrupt the stability and predictability of legal systems.

   In summary, retroactive refers to something that has an impact on past events, actions, or decisions, often occurring when new laws are applied retrospectively or when court rulings are reassessed and applied to previous cases.

2. Affecting what is past; retrospective.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for RETROACTIVE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for RETROACTIVE

The word "retroactive" comes from the combination of the prefix "retro-" and the adjective "active".

The prefix "retro-" comes from the Latin word "retro", which means backward or behind. It is used to indicate movement or action in a backward direction.

The adjective "active" comes from the Latin word "activus", which means capable of acting or causing action.

Therefore, when "retro-" is combined with "active", the word "retroactive" is formed, which means pertaining to an action that is applied or enforced backward in time.

Similar spelling words for RETROACTIVE